Probably more so than any other, golf is a game that is played in the mind as much as played on the course. Even the worlds top professional players have had blips and moments of doubt that have threatened their entire career and have had to seek professional assistance to improve their game. And if professional players can struggle with doubts and mental issues in their play, there is no doubt that it can be something that greatly affects an amateur player. There is a growing market of opportunities for players to improve the mental side of their approach to playing and it is clear that more people are improving this aspect of their play.
The level of mental thought that now goes into the game has gone to such an extent that there are companies offering hypnosis CDs and techniques to improve your golf play. No doubt part of this has been driven by market forces and companies wanting to make profit but it has had a great impact on how a golfer sets out to play. Unfortunately though, this impact on the mental side has went so far that it is probably now causing a negative impact on golfers over-thinking their game. Like so many other aspects of golf, over-thinking is as bad as under-thinking and there has to be a balance struck for a golfer to consistently perform to their best.
When you consider your own form of play, you will probably realize your own mental approach to your game will tend to focus on the negatives and play down the positives. Golf is a restrained and civilized game and it has almost been seen to be wrong to celebrating or making the most of your good shots. This has led to a culture of over analysis of shots which for many players can lead to nagging worries that crop up regularly in their play.
It is a common occurrence for players in the 19th hole to look back on their round and pick out poor shots or negative holes they played. Due to this, it can often get into a players mind that they have problems with a particular course or round which will start to become a problem every time they play. The term bogey has a specific meaning in golf but in the more general world, a bogey hole would be one that seems to have a subconscious impact on a player's performance. The minute a golfer starts to think they have problems with a specific hole, they will definitely start to have difficulties with it. This means that a level of thinking and over thinking can create anxiety and nervousness in a golfer's style of play which is almost guaranteed to cause problems.
At its best, golf is a simple game and it is best when it is played simply. The real enjoyment of a round of gold for many people comes in the ability to switch off from the pressures of normal life and to have some time spent relaxing and not thinking too much. There is obviously a sporting and competitive edge that appeals to many players but players who are relaxed have a greater opportunity of playing to their best whenever they play.
It may not be possible for everyone to reduce how often or how intensely they think about their golf but it is still possible to manage their style of play better. If a golfer can balance out their negative thoughts and concerns with some positive affirmation of their play or an acceptance of what holes are good for them, they can balance out their approach. Not everyone can completely blank out the mental approach to the game so by at least having some positive aspirations in their mind, they will have a chance of playing better.
Golf is a major industry today and there are thousands of companies all wanting their share of a golfers disposable income and this has changed the way that people think about the game. Technological enhancements has made the products of today far more advantageous than a few generations ago and there is now a large focus on the mental approach of a golfer.
This has inevitably led to many people over thinking their style of play and how they approach certain holes or courses and has had as negative an impact on certain players as it has improved the games of others.
It will be impossible to convince players they should entirely blank out any mental consideration of their style of play but there is a growing need for players to understand that thinking is not going to cure every problem on a golf course. In some cases, it can bring problems to a golfer when they previously had none.
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